Push and pull table exercizer



' Nov. 23, 1965 M. v. WEINSTEIN Y3,219,341

PUSH AND PULL TABLE EXERCISER Filed Sept. 24, 1962 r 2 Sheets-Sheet 1MIMI Illlull' his A TTOR/yE'Y Nov. 23, 1965 M. v. WElNsTElN PUSH ANDPULL TABLE EXERCISER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 24, 1962 IIIHVJ il...

bis ATTORNEY United States Patent Oilice 3,219,341 Patented Nov. 23,1965 3,219,341 PUSH AND PULL rIABLE EXERCIZER Max V. Weinstein, 605Vermont St., Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed Sept. 24, 1962, Ser. No. 225,502 3Claims. (Cl. 272-58) This invention relates to therapeutic tables andmore especially to tables to receive patients and enable them toexercise their legs and spines.

Among the objects of the present invention it is aimed to provide animproved therapeutic table which will enable a patient to rest his bodyor trunk, either on his -back or his stomach, in horizontal positionwith his legs free to enable him to exercise his legs, which table ismounted upon an inclined support tending to move the table downward withgravity and enable the patient to exercise his legs either by drawingthe table up against the force of gravity on said inclined sup-port bycrooking his knees with his feet fastened to an abutment or to push theltable up against the force of gravity by bending or crooking his kneeswith his feet resting against an opposing abutment, the inclined supportleaning downwardly away from the iirst abutment and toward said otherabutment.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide atherapeutic table which may be maintained in horizontal position toreceive a patient, the table resting upon an inclined support with anabutment spaced from each end of the table to enable the patient tocooperate with such abutments, one abutment to secure the feet of thepatient and enable the patient to draw the table up against the force ofgravity produced by the inclined support, the support incliningdownwardly away from such abutment, and the other abutment to enable thepatient to press his feet against the same and push the table up againstthe force of gravity produced by the inclined support with the supportleaning down toward such second abutment.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a tablefor receiving a patient in horizontal position which rides on aplurality of parallel inclined supports, which table has means forsimultaneously adjusting the inclinations of the supports and has spacedfrom its ends abutments for receiving Ithe feet of the patient andenabling the patient either by crooking his knees and pressing his feetagainst one abutment to move the table up the inclination of saidsupports, the supports inclining downwardly toward such supports, or toenable the patient when his feet are secured to the abutment at theother end of the table to crook his knees and draw the table upwardagainst the force of gravity produced by the inclined supports. Theinclination of said supports extend downwardly away from said secondsupport, in said latter instance.

These and other features, capabilities, and advantages of the inventionwill appear from the subjoined detailed description of one specificembodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. l is a perspective side elevation of the apparatus with thesupports in horizontal position.

FIG. 2 is a similar perspective of the apparatus partly broken away withthe supports in inclined position and the patient resting on his back onthe table in position to push the table up against the force of gravityproduced by the inclination of the supports.

FIG. 3 is a similar perspective side elevation with the supports ininclined position and the patient resting on his. stomach on the tablewith his feet secured to the other abutment in position to enable thepatient to crook his knees and draw the table up against the force ofgravity produced by the inclination of the supports.

FIG. 4 is a similar perspective in side elevation partly broken awaywith the supports in inclined position, and the patient 'resting on hisback and his feet secured to one of the abutments to move the tableupwardly against the force of gravity by crooking 'his legs.

FIG. 5 is a fragmental enlarged side elevational view showing theconnection between the supports and a lift or jack.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective of the table.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged side elevation of the lift or jack.

FIG. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of one side of a foot clamp.

FIG. l() is a side elevation of the other side of the foot clamp 'shownin FIG. 9.

In the embodiment shown there is provided a frame 1 preferably restingon -casters 2 :connected to the cross pieces 3 and 4 which in turn areconnected to longitudinally extending bars 5. These bars 5 are connectedat their ends to the upwardly extending braces 6, 6 at one end and 7, 7at the other end, the braces 6, 6 supporting the main uprights 8, 8 andthe braces 7, 7 supporting the vertically extending main uprights 9, 9.Between the uprights 8, there are provided cross rods 10 and 11 aroundwhich extend the chains 12 and 13. On the outer edges of the uprights 9,9, there is provided the vertically extending plate constituting a footabutment 14.

Extending upwardly from the longitudinally extendingI bars in thepresent instance, there are two intermediate pairs of 4uprights 15 and16, and 17 and 18 respectively. To the upper ends of the uprights thereis provided the pivot pin or bar 19 to receive the journals 20 in themain support 21. To the upper ends of the uprights 17, 18, there isprovided the pivot pin 22 to receive the journals 23 of the support 24.The main support 21 has longitudinally extending tracks 25 along itsedges to receive the rollers 27 journalled in the bracket 28 of thetable 29. In turn the support 24 has longitudinally extending tracks 30along its edges to receive the rollers 31 journalled in the bracket 32of the table 29.

The table 29 hasrrecesses 33 forming the diminished end 34 at onelongitudinal end of the table 29 and recesses 35 forming the diminishedend 36 at the other end of the table. The diminished ends 34 and 36 areprovided to extend into the crotch Iof the patient and enable his legsto drop down past the recesses 33 and 35 and support the pubic area ofhis body when resting on his abdomen as shown in FIG. 3

At the diminished end 36 there is pivotally connected the extension 37which may be swung down int-o the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 or`swung up into extended position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and therelocked by any suitable means such as a conventional latch 26 shown inFIG. 2.

Extending downwardly from the support 21 is provided the plate orbracket 38 which is pivotally connected at 39 to one end of t'he bar 40.The other end of the bar 40 is pivotally connected at 41 to the plate orbracket 42 extending downwardly from the support 24. The plates 38 and42 are preferably positioned to the right, see FIG. 5, of their pivotpoints 19 and 22 respectively so that any movement imparted to thesupport 24 will simultaneously actuate the support 21 an equal distance.

respectively. The links 49 are connected to one end of a bracket 50 andthe links 48 to the other end of the bracket 50. The bracket 50 in turnis pivotally connected by the pin 51 to-the bar 52 which is pivotallyconnected by the pin 53 at its upper end to the lower face of thesupport 24, to the right of the plate 42.

The pivotal pin 54 connecting the links 47 and 49 to one another isconnected to the internally screw threaded tubular bar 55 and thepivotal pin 56 connecting the links 46 and 48 to one another arepivotally connected to a journal receiving the smooth end of a screw 57which screw 57 has a threaded portion 58 meshing with the internalthread of the tubular bar 55. The outer end of the screw 57 has xedthereto the toothed wheel 59 which, see FIG. 8, has an angular boss 60to receive the enlargement 61 of the handle 62. The handle 62 in turnhas formed on it a pawl 63 which cooperates with the toothed wheel 59 sothat when the handle 62 is reciprocated and one of the teeth of the pawl63 connected with the toothed wheel 59, the reciprocation of the handle62 will turn the screw 57 in turn to expand the links into the positionshown in FIG. 7 to raise the support 24 and thereby in turn through thebar 40 incline the other support 21 a like distance. When it is desiredto lower the supports 21 and 24 into the horizontal position shown inFIG. 5, the other tooth of the pawl 63 will be pressed into engagementwith the toothed wheel 59 and then when the handle 62 is reciprocated,it will lower the right hand end of the support 24 and therebysimultaneously lower the right hand end of the support 21 into thehorizontal position shown in FIG. 5.

'I`o the chains 12 and 13 there are secured the ankle cuffs, such as thecuff 64 shown in FIGS. 9 and l0 respectively which have a stirrup strap65 to go under the foot 66 of the patient and which is preferablyconnected by links 67 to one of the chains 13, and several straps 68which go over the instep of the patients foot 66 as shown in FIG. 9.

In'operation the patient preferably is placed upon the table y29 when itis in horizontal position of the main supports 21 and 24 as shown inFIG'. 1. In this position of the main supports 21 and 24 the table 29may be moved along a predetermined horizontal level to accommodate thebody of the patient to a lighting or X-ray system without extensivemovement of such systems. Thereupon the supports 21 and 24 are inclinedthe desired angle and if the patient rests on his back as shown in FIG.2 with his feet 69 resting against the abutment 14 with the patientgripping the edge of the table 29 as shown in FIG. 2, by straighteninghis knees from the flexed position shown in FIG. 2, he will actuate thetable 29 up the parallel faces of the main supports 21 and 24 againstthe force of gravity produced by the inclinations of the parallel facesof the main supports 21 and 24.

On the other hand if it is desired that the patient be required tostretch his spine land actuate his knees, the patient may be positionedon his stomach as shown in FIG. 3 and extend from the other end of thetable 29 with his feet secured in the ankle cuffs 64 secured to thechains 12, 13. Then if the parallel faces of the main supports 21 and 24are inclined downwardly away from the chains 12, 13, when the patientflexes his knees, he will actuate the table 29 upwardly against theforce of gravity produced by the inclination of the supports 21 and 24.In turn the patient, if he should be required to exercise his backmuscles and leg muscles, may be positioned on the table resting on hisback with his feet secured in the ankle culfs 64 and the parallel facesof the main supports 21 and 24 inclined downwardly away from the chains12 and 13, FIG. 4. When flexing his knees and gripping the table edge asshown, he can move the table 29 upwardly against the force of gravityproduced by the supports 21 and 24.

From the foregoing it will thus be seen that at least three differenttypes of exercise can be produced by a patient with this table. It willalso be seen that the body of the patient will be positioned on ahorizontal platform or table 29 at all times. It vwill also be seen thatwith facility the desired inclination of the supports 21 and 24 may beachieved by a simple actuation of the handle 62 of the jack 43. Whilethe aforesaid three positions listed may be suitable for all types ofinjuries or dislocations to the lower portion of the spine below theshoulders and traction consequently transmitted to the spine by the bodyresting on the table 29 in either of the positions illustrated in FIGS.3 and 4 from the area between the shoulders and the lower end of thetrunk, should there be, as so frequently happens, an injury orimpairment to the disks of the spine or part of the spine located in theneck or upper spinal area, then the traction can be transmitted to thisportion of the spine, that is between the head and the shoulders just aswell as to the part of the spine located between the shoulders and thelower end of the trunk by connecting the head to either the rods 10 or11 or the chains 12 and 13 and the body be extended in the directionshown in FIG. 2. In such position the feet of the patient may restagainst the foot abutment 14 and the patient regulate the tension on hisneck which ordinarily should not exceed ve to ten pounds although attimes traction of fteen pounds may be used to advantage and in unusualcircumstances a momentary traction of as much as forty pounds ofmomentary traction may be employed. In turn, due to the adjustability ofthe inclination of the main supports 21 and 24 by the scissor jack 43having in mind that the greater the tension in foot pounds increases asthe grade or inclination of the main supports 21 and 24 increases, theattending physician may of course be in a position to adjust theinclination of the main supports 21 and 24 to the desired degree wherethe foot pound tension will approximate the tension desired for theparticular patient being treated.

When the term legs is mentioned it refers to all the components of thelower extremities from the hip to the foot.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to thedetails of construction without departing from the general spirit of theinvention as set forth in the appended claims.

It is also obvious that this apparatus can be used to advantage intransmitting traction to the lower extremities and the spine when thepatient is resting on the table 29.

I claim:

1. In a therapeutic table, the combination of a man frame, a verticallyextending main upright at'each end of said main frame, a plurality ofintermediate uprights, parallel main supports having upper faces, meanspivotally connecting said main supports intermediate the ends of saidupper faces to said intermediate uprights to enable said main supportsto be rocked from the horizontal to an inclined position, tracks on theupper faces of said main supports parallel to one another, a table,brackets on said table, rollers at the lower ends of said bracketsriding in said tracks, a pair of said rollers for each main support,parallel vertical plates extending down from like ends of said mainsupports, a link pivotally connecting the lower ends of said parallelplates to one another, and a lift operatively connected to one of saidmain supports between the ground and said latter main support actuatableto adjust the inclination of said latter main support and through saidlink and parallel plates simultaneously adjust the inclination of theother main support into the horizontal at a predetermined levelintermediate said main uprights to enable the body of the person to betreated to be placed with facility on said table at a predeterminedlevel and -at any location between said main uprights and at other timesdownwardly, said table enabling the body of the person to be treatedwhile Alying on said table, said upper faces being parallel to one an-Other ,and when inclined downwardly enabling the person being treated toactuate said table upwardly on said parallel faces against the force ofgravity to effect a predetermined exercise.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which crossbars aremounted on one of said main uprights, chains extending around saidcrossbars, ankle cuis con nected to said chains to secure the feet ofthe person being treated when resting on said table and the mainsupports inclined downwardly away from said chains to enable the personbeing treated to perform a pulling exercise.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which crossbars aremounted on one of said main uprights, chains extending around saidcrossbars, ankle cuffs connected to the other of said chains to securethe feet of the person being treated when resting on his abdomen on saidtable and the main supports are inclined downwardly away from saidlatter main upright to enable the person to perform a pulling exercise,and a diminished extension on the end of said table adjacent to a mainsupport with clearances on the sides of said extension for the legs ofthe person being treated, said extension supporting the pubic area ofthe person being treated.

References Cited by the Examiner RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

1. IN A THERAPEUTIC TABLE, THE COMBINATION OF A MAN FRAME, A VERTICALLYEXTENDING MAIN UPRIGHT AT EACH END OF SAID MAIN FRAME, A PLURALITY OFINTERMEDIATE UPRIGHTS, PARALLEL MAIN SUPPORTS HAVING UPPER FACES, MEANSPIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID MAIN SUPPORTS INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF SAIDUPPER FACES TO SAID INTERMEDIATE UPRIGHTS TO ENABLE SAID MAIN SUPPORTSTO BE ROCKED FROM THE HORIZONTAL TO AN INCLINED POSITION, TRACKS ON THEUPPER FACES OF SAID MAIN SUPPORTS PARALLEL TO ONE ANOTHER, A TABLE,BRACKETS ON SAID TABLE, ROLLERS AT THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID BRACKETSRIDING IN SAID TRACKS, A PAIR OF SAID ROLLERS FOR EACH MAIN SUPPORT,PARALLEL VERTICAL PLATES EXTENDING DOWN FROM LIKE ENDS OF SAID MAINSUPPORTS, A LINK PIVOTALLY CONNECTING THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID PARALLELPLATES TO ONE ANOTHER, AND A LIFT OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAIDMAIN SUPPORTS BETWEEN THE GROUND AND SAID LATTER MAIN SUPPORT ACTUATABLETO ADJUST THE INCLINATION OF SAID LATTER MAIN SUPPORT AND THROUGH SAIDLINK AND PARALLEL PLATES SIMULTANEOUSLY ADJUST THE INCLINATION OF THEOTHER MAIN SUPPORT INTO THE HORIZONTAL AT A PREDETERMINED LEVELINTERMEDIATE SAID MAIN UPRIGHTS TO ENABLE THE BODY OF THE PERSON TO BETREATED TO BE PLACED WITH FACILITY ON SAID TABLE AT A PREDETERMINEDLEVEL AND AT ANY LOCATION BETWEEN SAID MAIN UPRIGHTS AND AT OTHER TIMESDOWNWARDLY, SAID TABLE ENABLING THE BODY OF THE PERSON TO BE TREATEDWHILE LYING ON SAID TABLE, SAID UPPER FACES BEING PARALLEL TO ONEANOTHER AND WHEN INCLINED DOWNWARDLY ENABLING THE PERSON BEING TREATEDTO ACTUATE SAID TABLE UPWARDLY ON SAID PARALLEL FACES AGAINST THE FORCEOF GRAVITY TO EFFECT A PREDETERMINED EXERCISE.